Family awarded millions in compensation for the death of 3-year-old

Thursday

Jun 26, 2008 at 12:01 AMJun 26, 2008 at 12:29 AM

A Maryville man was sentenced to six years in prison and was ordered to pay more than $3.5 million in restitution to the family of a 3-year-old girl who died as a result of an alcohol related vehicle accident he caused last year.

Connie Goff

A Maryville man was sentenced to six years in prison and was ordered to pay more than $3.5 million in restitution to the family of a 3-year-old girl who died as a result of an alcohol related vehicle accident he caused last year.

Judge Roger Prokes sentenced Ryan Sundermann to serve six years in the Department of Corrections on charges of involuntary manslaughter. Sundermann recklessly caused the death of Abrielle Neff in a motor vehicle collision in March 2007.

Sundermann was charged with failing to maintain proper control of his vehicle, failure to drive on the right half of the roadway and operated a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol.

After reviewing the Sentencing Assessment Report and hearing a statement from the child's mother, probation was denied and the court did not retain jurisdiction –– meaning the Department of Corrections will decide when Sundermann will come up for parole instead of Judge Prokes.

"I am pleased that we were able to resolve this case by plea on a sentence that was jointly recommended with the family," David Baird, prosecuting attorney for Nodaway County stated in a written release. "I am also pleased that the Court chose to sentence the defendant to serve a term in the Department of Corrections and not follow the recommendation within the Sentencing Assessment Report prepared by Probation and Parole, which recommended probation with house arrest and other community structured sentence.

“The sentence serves to punish for the offense that occurred and simultaneously avoids the stress and difficulty of a trial for the family and victims."

During court proceedings, Brenda Neff, Abrielle’s mother, spoke while reading from a prepared statement to the court and to Sundermann.

With tears streaming down her face, Neff spoke of the impact Abrielle's death had on the family.

"How do I end this statement," Neff said. "As there is no end to the impact, except to say we all loved Abrielle Lauryn Neff, from the day she opened her big brown eyes until the day Ryan Sundermann's poor decisions forced them closed. We will continue to carry our love for her with us forever."

Sundermann then requested to make a statement to the family.

"I want the Neff family to know that I am very sorry about what happened," he said. "There is not a morning I wake up that I don't think about the pain I've caused them. I think about what I did every day. I want them to know that I really mean that –– I am really sorry. I'm not just saying that."

As Judge Prokes pronounced sentence, he said he hoped Sundermann would go through any program necessary while serving time in prison to help him deal with any alcohol problems he might have.

Sundermann was then remanded to the custody of the Nodaway County Sheriff for delivery to the Department of Corrections to serve the six-year penitentiary sentence.

Following a short recess, Judge Prokes considered a civil case filed by Marcus and Brenda Neff, seeking compensation for injuries and loss that resulted from the accident.

Three claims were presented in the case. One for injuries sustained by Brenda Neff; one for injuries sustained by Madyson Neff and one for the wrongful death of Abrielle Neff.

After a 30-minute recess, Judge Prokes returned judgement on all three counts. On the first claim, he awarded $250,000; on the second, $100,000 and on the final count, Judge Prokes awarded $3.5 million to be proportioned equally between Marcus and Brenda Neff, parents of Abrielle.

"This doesn't really change anything," Brenda Neff said outside of court. "We don't have to constantly worry about court dates and all that, but it won't change our life."

"How can justice be served," she continued. "Ryan Sundermann gets a six-year sentence. We get a life sentence without our Abrielle."

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